Puy Pariou Stairway, Volcanic hiking stairway in Orcines, France
A wooden staircase leads visitors to the summit of Puy Pariou volcano, reaching an elevation of 1,200 meters in the Chaîne des Puys mountain range.
The land surrounding Puy Pariou was given to local hamlet residents by a Montferrand countess during the Middle Ages, maintaining collective ownership through centuries.
The Puy Pariou Stairway forms part of the Auvergne Volcanoes Regional Nature Park, representing the geological heritage of central France's volcanic formations.
Access to the crater remains restricted since June 2022, but hikers can still use the stairs to reach the summit through designated paths.
The site management group, GIE Pariou, implements conservation measures including volcanic soil replacement and local seed planting to combat erosion effects.
Location: Puy-de-Dôme
Address: 63870 Orcines, France
GPS coordinates: 45.79780,2.97053
Latest update: March 11, 2025 00:10
Clermont-Ferrand sits at the edge of a volcanic landscape in the Massif Central, offering a mix of geological formations, medieval architecture and urban spaces for photographers. The Cathedral of Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption, built from black volcanic stone, rises above the historic center, while Puy de Dôme, a 4,800-foot (1,465-meter) dormant volcano, shapes the surrounding terrain. The city combines industrial history with architectural heritage, from the Romanesque design of the Basilica of Notre-Dame-du-Port to modern facilities like the Michelin Museum. The city center preserves its medieval street pattern in neighborhoods like Rue des Gras and Rue du Port, where dark stone buildings line narrow lanes. Place de Jaude forms the main square, featuring the equestrian statue of Vercingetorix and the Renaissance-era Fountain of Amboise. Parks such as Jardin Lecoq and Parc Montjuzet provide green spaces within the city, while cultural institutions like the Musée d'art Roger-Quilliot and Centre de Photographie Fontfreyde display contemporary and historical collections. The surrounding area includes several volcanic cones, among them Puy de la Vache, as well as the Chemin du Volcan hiking trail and the remains of the Gallo-Roman Temple of Mercury atop Puy de Dôme.
Puy de Dôme
2.8 km
Vulcania
2.9 km
Puy Pariou
128 m
Temple of Mercury
2.9 km
Puy de Lemptégy
3 km
Puy de Côme
2.3 km
Grand Sarcoui
2 km
Puy de Clierzou
922 m
Puy des Goules
1.5 km
Chopine and Gouttes puys
3.3 km
Le Grand Suchet
1.4 km
Petit Suchet
1.1 km
Puy de Chaumont
3 km
Puy de Jume
5.5 km
Golf des volcans
2 km
Puy de la Coquille
5 km
Puy de Fraisse
977 m
Croix de Ternant
2.6 km
Villars standing stone
5.2 km
Chapelle Saint-Aubin
5.6 km
Chaîne des Puys - Limagne fault tectonic arena
2.1 km
Puy de Montrodeix
4.7 km
Nid de la Poule
2.1 km
Église Saint-Julien d'Orcines
3.6 km
Église de la Nativité-de-la-Bienheureuse-Vierge-Marie de Maisons Rouges
5.3 km
Grottes du Petit Suchet
1.1 km
Grotte du Sarcouy
1.9 km
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